A Girlie Get Together
by Kathode
Summary: The women of Dark River like nothing more than a get together with good food, good wine (or cranberry juice) and good friends.


A Psy Changeling Novella

Inspired by the characters created by Nalini Singh

A Girlie Get Together

Sascha had every intention of cooking, she really did, but Lucas had distracted her by saying her name softly. It was a verbal caress that always made her knees weak, and her heart pound with anticipation. "Do you really have to have this dinner thing tonight, kitten?"

She had kissed him to sooth the hurt, as put on as it was, on his face. He had left with a massive grin on his face, whilst she had tried to tidy their place, and make sure her hair didn't give them away. Mercy and Riley had guessed as soon as they had walked in, and their grins

could only be described as shit-eating.

"Are we ordering pizza again?" Mercy's tease earned her a glare, but the red-headed sentinel laughed it off, her hands resting on her ever-expanding bump.

Faith had spread out a selection of menus that she had handy. "How about we order tapas? Then we get a bit of everything?"

There was a murmur of disagreement before Tally and Faith drove off for Indian. The two women had become un-expected friends, and were often seen together, much to the amusement of Clay and Vaughn.

Mercy kissed Riley on his cheek, pushing him out the door, when he growled about her not drinking any alcohol and not getting up to mischief.

Sascha collapsed on the sofa, sending her mind out to sooth that of her daughters; who was in the next room. "Is there anyone else coming tonight?"

Mercy cocked her head to one side, deep in thought. "Tamsyn is coming in a minute and she's picking up Ria on the way; although Emmet wasn't too happy about her coming out in her current state."

Sascha laughed. "Lucas was the same when I was pregnant."

Mercy laughed too, before making shhing sounds and stroking her stomach. "Aisha should be here any minute too." As the words left her the mouth, Aisha walked in with a small comme in her hand, looking a little sheepish with Dorian right behind her. She stopped to sniff the air. "Are we having take-out again?" Dorian laughed, and stooped to give Sascha a kiss and a hug. "How's my favourite girl?"

"She's doing wonderful. She's sleeping all through the night now." She smiled at Dorian.

"Well I best get going, Riley offered to give me a lift. I'll leave you girls to do girlie stuff. Oh and Sascha?" He turned to hide the gleam of mischief in his eyes. "Lucas said not to keep any of the left overs. He doesn't want to be poisoned again.

Sascha let out a small growl before taking a big swig of her cranberry juice and tossing a cushion at his head. "OK I can't cook. I get it." Laughter erupted around the room, as Tamsyn and Ria entered. "Leaving the cooking to me; Sascha darling." Tamsyn mimicked Hawke's drawl, which drove Lucas crazy, although it was having less of an effect now that Hawke was happily metes to Sienna.

Tamsyn kissed Dorian on the cheek, then, by the top of his ear, booted him out of the house. "I promise to return your mate in one piece, boy genius."

The food arrived and the room went silent before appreciative moans filled the air. Mercy and Ria were sat on fluffy futons, comparing bumps and the pregnancy tips. They had become even closer since they had both out they were pregnant although Mercy was a little further on.

"Riley keeps making sure our shifts overlap. He pops up when I'm on watch and stays with me." A shy blush crossed her face. "If he'd have done that when we started out together, I would have sliced him. Now I find it endearing."

Ria nodded. "Emmet wanted me to stay home tonight." She dipped her nann bread into the spicy sauce, laughing when the baby kicked. "This one loves spicy food"

Mercy laughed too. "How did you change Emmett's mind about tonight?"

Ria let out a wicked smile and raised her eyebrows suggestively. "I threatened his favourite body part with my stapler." She rolled her eyes. "I had to do the same with Lucas too. He practically glued me to my seat, when he first found out. You'd think we were made of china."

Mercy's eyes went misty. "I couldn't live without it though. I was always worried that I might not mate." She wiped at her eyes. Her pregnancy hormones making her more emotional every day, her hellish brothers had started walking round with extra packets of tissues in their pockets. "It's hard being touch hungry and not knowing how to tell the people you call family."

Ria made a noise of comfort in the back of her throat. "I guess changelings are used to all the touching. It took me a while to get used to it. But now; I couldn't imagine living without it."

Mercy grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. They took comfort in touch, and being around pack. "Are you going to have the last bit of chicken?"

Ria shook her head. "You have it. If I eat any more I'll need a crane to get me off this futon."

Tamsyn and Sascha looked over at the two blooming mothers to be and shared a knowing smile. . "You wait till they start discussing cracked nipples, no sleep and even more over bearing mates.

"It's wonderful though." Sascha's cardinal eyes went dream like. "I never imagined having any of this, and now it's happened. Sometimes I worry, that I'm going to wake up from this fantastic dream."

Tamsyn gave the empath a sympathetic look. "Lucas would still come and find you. It's been good for the pack, seeing him so settled." The healer had become Sascha's closest friend, even though Sascha's lack of cooking skills drove Tamsyn insane.

"How are your brats?" Sascha was very close to Tamsyn's twins, Roman and Julian. The little terrors were always getting into trouble, and were often found munching on someone's boots.

Tamsyn's face broke into a wild smile. "They won most adorable twins at the leopard awards. Plus Annie's been keeping an eye on them. They're moving up to her class next year." Annie was Zack's mate, currently pregnant too. "I did invite her, but she mentioned something about a bonding trip with Zack's sisters. Apparently Noelle asked to bring along a 'friend'. A male wolf."

Sascha's eyebrows went sky-high and she laughed. "Zack's out for Mercy's blood apparently. Lucas managed to convince him to wait till the baby's born." Since Mercy and Riley's mating the juvenile wolves and leopards had been sniffing around each other. Any serious developing relationships had to be reported to Lucas or Hawke so that it didn't affect the alliance between the two packs.

"Is it unusual for cross animal matings?"

Tamsyn shook her head. "It used to be that our animals took control and stuck mostly to its own kind. But the human half takes over sometimes. Look at you and Lucas. You're a Psy, yet the mating bong snapped into place. I think that it might be more common now we have the alliance. We have more chance to mingle."

Sascha thought about it. The wolves and leopards went to same schools, and now the novice's and the soldiers practically shared duties.

"I guess we'll just have to see what happens. I might ask Lara who the young wolf might be. It will be good to give him a heads up on what he's getting himself in for."

"I'm sure he'll be fine. Annie will keep Zack in check. She adores his sisters." Sascha soothed her daughters mind. Naya often got worried when she couldn't mind her mum immediately.

Tamsyn looked over the empath, pride and trust clear in her eyes. "You've come along way. I remember the first time I met you, and you thought he was my mate."

Sascha blushed slightly. "That was the first time I ever felt jealousy. My shields were fractured even then."

Faith had her eyes closed; the feeling of being over full playing with her senses, but she still heard the approaching footsteps. "Is that more cranberry juice?" She prised open her eyes when she heard laughter. Aisha and Tally were now sat next to her.

"Do you ever wish you could try wine?"

Faith and Aisha both shook their heads. "It does odd things with our minds. I'd hate not to be in control of my foresight."

Aisha nodded in agreement. "Besides, what does it really do? Apart from cause hangovers and headaches."

Tally shrugged. "It gives people confidence. You can un-wind drinking a glass of wine or a beer. Did Mercy not tell you about Riley and Hawke?" The Psy women shook their heads. "They both got drunk, when they found out she was pregnant. Sienna told Sascha that Hawke was almost in a coma!"

They laughed. Changelings had the lowest birth rate of all the races, and any baby, was spoilt and celebrated. "Have Clay and yourself discussed children?"

Tally blushed. "We have two as it is. We don't want to disrupt them anymore then we have to." Aisha nodded with understanding.

"I know Dorian can't wait."

"Boy genius as a Dad? I bet he'd be amazing." Tally's nickname for Dorian brought a seldom seen smile to Aisha's lips, her eyes glazing at just how amazing he was on a day to day basis.

"He's like a kid himself some days. But I see it in his eyes sometimes. The overwhelming guilt about having a life and enjoying it, while his sister's was cut so short."

The coldness of her statement seemed to take over the room, and Sascha moved to give Aisha a hug. "It's about healing day by day. He's better now, and each day that your with him he gets better still." Sascha looked round at all the women. "It's not about being perfect or finding the perfect mate. Flaws, scars and out pasts are what make us unique, and they bring us closer as a pack."

The changeling females nodded, pack was family and family supported each other till the death.

The chimes of glasses being re-filled and lifted up sounded, before they all chorused. "To pack!"


End file.
